Over the past five years, Marple Friends & Neighbors has featured many inspirational individuals and families who make a difference in our community. This month, we are excited to check back in with the Speer Family. Although it’s only been four years since they were on our January 2020 cover, much has changed for Emily, Ed and their kids. For one thing, they are now a family of seven since Winnie was born in September 2020. Emily’s business, Speer Swim School, has seen tremendous growth and although Ed is still with the Philadelphia Phillies organization, he’s recently taken on a new role there.
The Speers have lived in Broomall for 14 years. Ed and Emily found their forever home here in 2010 shortly after they got married. Originally from West Chester, they are both West Chester East High School graduates. Although they graduated from the same school, they didn’t actually meet until after high school when they were introduced by Ed’s older sister, a friend of Emily’s. They quickly realized they had a lot in common that included a love of sports and the outdoors. Ed played football, basketball and lacrosse in high school and basketball and lacrosse in college and Emily taught swimming lessons since she was just 13 years old. “Things just clicked for Ed and me right away!” Emily recalled fondly.
When we featured the Speer family in 2020, Ed was working for the Phillies organization in their Operations Department, where he worked since 2007. What started as an internship while he was a junior at St. Joseph’s University led to a permanent position. Although Ed earned his degree in
Marketing with an emphasis on Sports and Entertainment Marketing, he ultimately found that his niche was in operations. Today, Ed serves as the organization’s Director, Facility Operations. The job has given him the opportunity to travel with the team and he even received a 2008 World Series Ring and a 2022 NL Championship ring! “It’s truly a dream job,” said Ed.
Since 2017, Emily has been the owner and manager of Speer Swim School, which continues to grow and thrive. Last year they served 746 students and now have 36 employees that include swim instructors and pool managers. In addition to offering lessons in clients’ backyards, Emily and her team also began providing lessons at Marple Newtown High School (MNHS) where they also offer a two-week summer camp. Speer Swim School also partners with Villa Maria Academy for after-school swim lessons.
Emily started teaching swim lessons when she was just 13 years old and she continued developing her skills as a swimming instructor over the next several years. “I love knowing that we’re giving children the ability to be safe in and near the water, and giving parents the peace of mind that their children have skills to help them enjoy the water,” Emily said proudly. Emily has a degree in Elementary Education from Penn State, an MA from Arcadia University and in 2013 she earned a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from Neumann University. Prior to starting her swim school business, Emily taught 7th grade at Paxon Hollow Middle School.
Emily and Ed make a great team parenting their five children all under the age of 12. When we met the Speers back in 2020, their youngest, Winnie, had not been born yet. Winnie is now an active three-year-old who loves to keep up with her older siblings. Emily said Winnie always has a smile on her face and everyone in Marple knows her as the tag-along-kid who loves going anywhere and everywhere with her brothers and sisters.
The oldest of the Speers, Beatrix, is now 11 years old. A fifth grader at St. Anastasia School, Beatrix has been involved in school plays as well as the Reading Olympics team. Outside of school, Beatrix is passionate about dancing and is a member of From the Top’s pre-competition dance team. Her parents say she has a motherly personality and she’s already enrolled in babysitting classes.
Eddie, now nine, still loves sports. He plays CYO flag football in the fall, baseball at NELL, lacrosse with Marple Newtown Lacrosse and basketball for St. Annies, where he’s a fourth grader. Emily said Eddie has a friendly personality and loves to play with anyone.
Little sister Daphne is described by her parents as a “classic middle child.” Now seven, Emily said Daphne is always smiling and happy. She’s also taken an interest in sports and plays for the Marple Newtown Soccer Association and for the Newtown Square Petticoat League.
The last time we met the Speers, Richie was just a toddler and the baby of the family. Today, he’s five and into monster trucks and sports. A baseball player for NELL, Richie is already an impressive hitter and they can’t wait to see how he does this season.
The Speers are still embracing life here in Marple and they love connecting with the community. Emily works out with local mom Donna Gicking at Empowered Fitness at MNHS three times a week and Ed enjoys playing pickup men’s basketball at some of the local schools.
Whether it’s in their neighborhood, on one of the local sports fields or in the pool, Emily and Ed love meeting and connecting with people in the community. “We love it here,” said Emily. “It’s more than just connecting. It’s being a part of such an amazing tight-knit community.”